When your device stops getting updates: your options
“End of support” sounds like a shutdown, but the device keeps working. What changes is that newly discovered security holes won’t be fixed — so the risk quietly grows over time, especially for anything involving money or personal data. Here are your real options.
First, confirm the date
Check exactly when (or whether) your device’s security updates end in the support tracker. Some devices are already past it (Windows 10, older phones); some manufacturers never publish a date. Knowing the date turns a vague worry into a decision.
Option 1: Keep it, with mitigations
Reasonable if the device is used for low-risk things (media, a spare, a kids’ device):
- Use a browser that still updates — browsers often outlive the OS, and most attacks come through the web.
- Don’t install new software or sideload apps; the unpatched OS is the risk surface.
- Keep banking, email and password managers on a supported device, not this one.
- Make sure backups are running in case it’s compromised.
Option 2: Move to an OS that still gets updates
- Old laptop/PC: a lightweight Linux distribution or ChromeOS Flex keeps it secure and useful for web, email and documents. See making an old computer usable again.
- Some Android phones have community ROMs, though that’s more involved and not for everyone.
This is often the best value: it keeps hardware you already own safe and out of landfill.
Option 3: Replace it
If the device is central to your life — your main phone or work laptop — and can’t move to a supported OS, replacement is the honest answer. When you do, don’t buy anything with under two years of security support left; the tracker shows what each option offers, so you don’t repeat the problem in a year.
What not to do
Don’t keep using an unsupported device for banking and sensitive accounts as if nothing changed, and don’t fall for “extend your support” scareware — the legitimate routes are the three above (plus official paid extended-security programmes where a vendor offers one, like Windows 10 ESU).
Frequently asked questions
Is it dangerous to use an unsupported phone?
The risk rises gradually, not overnight. For casual use with a modern browser it’s manageable; for banking and primary email it’s not a good idea. Move sensitive activity to a supported device.
What is Windows 10 ESU?
A paid Extended Security Updates programme that buys limited extra time after the October 2025 end date. It’s a bridge, not a permanent fix.
How do I know my exact end-of-support date?
Check the support tracker, which cites each manufacturer’s source. Where no date is published, we mark it “Not announced.”